Ragnar Westerling1. 1. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences Social Medicine, Uppsala Science Park, Uppsala, Sweden. Ragnar.Westerling@pubcare.vu.se
Abstract
AIMS: "Avoidable" mortality, that is mortality from conditions amenable to healthcare intervention, is commonly studied as an indicator of the outcome of healthcare. The objective of this study was to analyse gender equity in avoidable mortality trends in Sweden from 1971 to 1996. METHODS: The underlying cause of death was analysed for all deaths in the Swedish population in the age group 0-69 years during the period 1971-96. On the basis of those used in international studies, 18 indicators of avoidable mortality were identified. The conditions were divided into two groups: those mainly indicating an outcome of medical care and those mainly reflecting the effect of health policy. Age-standardized death rates were calculated for each indicator of avoidable mortality and for total mortality broken down by sex. Gender differences in death rates were studied. The annual trends in death rates were analysed using regression models. RESULTS: For total mortality the death rates were 80% higher for males than for females. The largest gender differences were found among those conditions mainly reflecting the effects of health policy. For most medical care indicators the gender differences were fairly small. For several avoidable causes of death the gender differences decreased considerably and for some causes of death the differences were eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: The avoidable mortality method seems to be useful in continuous epidemiological surveillance of the equity in healthcare. The comparatively low gender differences for avoidable death indicators as well as the decrease in these differences indicate decreasing gender inequity in health.
AIMS: "Avoidable" mortality, that is mortality from conditions amenable to healthcare intervention, is commonly studied as an indicator of the outcome of healthcare. The objective of this study was to analyse gender equity in avoidable mortality trends in Sweden from 1971 to 1996. METHODS: The underlying cause of death was analysed for all deaths in the Swedish population in the age group 0-69 years during the period 1971-96. On the basis of those used in international studies, 18 indicators of avoidable mortality were identified. The conditions were divided into two groups: those mainly indicating an outcome of medical care and those mainly reflecting the effect of health policy. Age-standardized death rates were calculated for each indicator of avoidable mortality and for total mortality broken down by sex. Gender differences in death rates were studied. The annual trends in death rates were analysed using regression models. RESULTS: For total mortality the death rates were 80% higher for males than for females. The largest gender differences were found among those conditions mainly reflecting the effects of health policy. For most medical care indicators the gender differences were fairly small. For several avoidable causes of death the gender differences decreased considerably and for some causes of death the differences were eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: The avoidable mortality method seems to be useful in continuous epidemiological surveillance of the equity in healthcare. The comparatively low gender differences for avoidable death indicators as well as the decrease in these differences indicate decreasing gender inequity in health.
Authors: Maria Michela Gianino; Jacopo Lenzi; Aida Muça; Maria Pia Fantini; Roberta Siliquini; Walter Ricciardi; Gianfranco Damiani Journal: Health Serv Res Date: 2016-10-05 Impact factor: 3.402
Authors: Kristiina Manderbacka; Riina Peltonen; Sonja Lumme; Ilmo Keskimäki; Lasse Tarkiainen; Pekka Martikainen Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-09-08 Impact factor: 3.295